The challenge of cutting stainless pipe

All metals works harden when cold worked. Stainless pipe have hardening characteristics as well. When the stainless pipe, stainless tube cutter contact the surface of stainless steel pipe, it will harden and will be more and more difficult to continue on cutting with the same pressure and speed. The chromium and nickel content makes it more difficult to cut or torch than regular carbon steel. Austenitic stainless steels pipe harden very rapidly, but the 400 Series' cold working rate is only a little higher than that of the plain carbon steels.

When cutting the stainless pipe /stainless tube, if the stainless pipe/stainless tube becomes over heated while cutting, the stainless pipe/ stainless tube will discolor, turning a blue color from the heat tempering and if the stainless tube is thin enough, it can distort the stainless material.

Generally speaking stainless pipe/stainless tube is a nonferrous metal. This makes the stainless pipe/stainless tube very difficult to cut and drill with conventional tools. The different stainless pipe grades, as well as the thickness of the stainless pipe, increases these difficulties.